NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — The man accused in the death of a 73-year-old dog sitter back in October has been charged with felony murder, Fernandina Beach Police Department announced Friday.
Shawn Lamont Whigham, 47, was arrested this week in connection to the death of Colleen Potts.
Following a first appearance in court Friday morning, police officially charged Whigham with charged with felony murder, robbery home invasion, tampering with evidence, petit theft and providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
Whigham had previously done handyman work at the residence where Potts died, officials said.
On October 24, a caller dialed 911 due to the door of the house being open and dogs running around 9 p.m., according to police.
When police arrived, they found the garage door leading into the main part of the home open, along with the inner door to the home, an arrest report said.
During a secondary search of the home, police found a woman later identified as Potts lying face down on the couch in the living room.
Potts was house-sitting for the homeowner, according to a news release from police.
Nassau County Fire and Rescue crews arrived on the scene and pronounced Potts dead at the scene, the report said.
Whigham remains in the Nassau County Jail stemming from a previous charge filed for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.